Assessing microplastic dispersion from Saigon urban canals via Can Gio Mangrove Reserve to East Sea in Vietnam by Raman scattering microscopy

Abstract Plastic pollution is one of the significant environmental concerns due to the threefold increase in global plastic waste. Marine microplastics, including petroleum-based plastic pieces, synthetic and artificial fibers smaller than 5 mm, are ubiquitous in natural water environments due to the degradation of plastic products and wastes. This research aims to investigate the microplastic presence in urban and coastal environments in the Southeast regions of Vietnam by using Raman microscopy. As a result, most common plastics (PE, PET, PA, PP, PVC, PS and PMMA) were detected, and most of them were fibrous smaller than 500 µm. The total microplastics decreased gradually from the urban waterborne (up to 220 MPs/L) via Can Gio UNESCO Mangrove Biosphere Reserve (10 MPs/L) and to the East Sea (3 MPs/L), which reveals the potential role of the mangrove in reducing marine contaminants including microplastics. This study provides important insights about microplastic pollution in the Western Pacific Region, especially Saigon-Dong Nai river systems, supporting the useful data for natural water resources management.